Sleeping on 2 pillows

How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With? Sleep Advisor

Have you ever wondered whether your plush pile of pillows is the reason for your poor night’s sleep recently? The truth is that, although these fluffy, magical nighttime headrests are soft and comfortable to the touch, they may be causing more harm than good in terms of the optimal night’s sleep. So, just how many pillows should you sleep with for a great rest?

To determine the answer to this question, we’ve outlined a number of contributing factors, all lending to the notion that only ONE pillow is what’s needed for your routine slumber. That’s right, for those of you who regularly sleep surrounded by a myriad of cottony comforts, you’ve been sleeping the wrong way!

Fret not, fellow snoozers, below are the several reasons why just ONE pillow is your best bet at a good night’s sleep:

A Brief History of The Pillow

According to Dictionary.com, a pillow is defined as a rectangular cloth bag stuffed with feathers, foam or rubber, or other soft materials, that is used to support the head while lying down. But, just how important is it to support the head in this way?

To answer this, let’s dive into the history of this product. Dr. Weil, MD, an acclaimed alternative medicine practitioner and spokesperson states that humans have used pillows throughout the centuries. From the times of the early Egyptians, people rested their heads on stones to keep bugs from crawling up their noses and into the other orifices of the face.

Many ancient cultures incorporated stone pillows, while the Greeks and Romans employed some of the first uses of cloth and feathers. Fast-forward to current day, and they are now a vital part of everyday life and deemed an essential sleep accessory.

Choosing The Right One

If the ultimate goal is to support your neck during sleep and to align the bones of the neck and the spine anatomically, then it makes sense that less is more in terms of elevation. If you are always feeling the need to stick a second cushion under your head, then it’s entirely possible that the pillow you’ve chosen isn’t ideal for your body type.

How then, should you go about choosing the right pillow? The first step is to identify your specific needs. Ask yourself what problems you are regularly experiencing that are preventing you from experiencing an ideal evening rest.

Are You Frequently Experiencing Neck or Back Pain?

If you answered yes to this question, it’s possible that you are sleeping each night in an awkward position. It is important to choose a pillow that is at the perfect height for your unique neck and spine. With so many options on the market, this can sometimes be an arduous task.

For a little help with determining which pillow would be best for help with neck pain, you can consult our recommendations. For those with back pain, it’s a good idea to take a look at your particular sleeping position. If you are a side sleeper, then you might be an exception to the one pillow rule.

Two Pillows for Side Sleepers

Don’t get too excited. The rule still applies for beneath your head. However, it is best to put that second pillow between your knees. According to the University of Rochester, putting a cushion between your knees at night helps to prevent the leg on top from pulling your spine out of alignment. This will ultimately relieve any stress on your lower back and your hips. You can check our side sleeper pillows if this is your preferred position, although the one for your knees doesn't have to be so high quality.

One Pillow For Stomach Sleepers

This sleeping position is never recommended, but you’ll ultimately fall asleep and stay asleep in the position that is most comfortable for you. If you happen to be a stomach sleeper, then one thin pillow is the best option (unless it’s more comfortable to go without one completely). The less angled your neck and back are, the better for your overall health.

View Our Guide: Top Pillows for Stomach Sleepers

An Interesting Argument For The Use of NO Pillows

Many of us have never stopped to question whether or not a pillow is truly needed to sleep well through the night. At a young age, they are introduced as a subsequent natural attachment to the bed. However, when you dissect the human anatomy, there is a case for doing away with pillows altogether.

The most fundamental example of why the use of a pillow might not make sense is that, when walking upright, our head and neck are in vertical alignment at the top of the spine. When you take our vertical bodies and lay them flat, it would make sense that you would be most aligned pillow-free.

There are many health benefits to forgoing the use of a cushion beneath our heads. The first benefit is a reduction of acne. Pillows are often harbingers of dust and other impurities. Resting your face on a dirty cushion every night might just be causing blemishes.

The second most notable benefit is the prevention of wrinkles. Because you are routinely putting pressure on your face each night, there is the potential for the acceleration of wrinkle formulation. There are several other possible benefits that you may or may not reap if you ditch the nighttime neck pad:

Prevent back and neck pain
Straighten and normalize bone structure
Avoid stress
Prevent inflammation
Prevent or reduce depression

Conclusion

A general consensus among experts is that one pillow is the optimal choice for a good night’s sleep. If you’ve been piling them up beneath your head, it may be time to reconsider. If you’re ready to shop around for something new, take a look at our review section, and I'm sure you will find plenty products that suit your sleeping style.

Sources and References:

Do You Need A Pillow For Sound Sleep? – drweil.com
23 Incredible Sleeping Without a Pillow Benefits Base On Research – drhealthbenefits.com

Sleep Advisor

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Our team covers as many areas of expertise as we do time zones, but none of us started here as a so-called expert on sleep. What we do share is a willingness to ask questions (lots of them), seek experts, and dig deep into conventional wisdom to see if maybe there might be a better path towards healthy living. We apply what we learn not only to our company culture, but also how we deliver information to our over 12.7M readers.

Sleep research is changing all the time, and we are 100% dedicated to keeping up with breakthroughs and innovations. You live better if you sleep better. Whatever has brought you here, we wish you luck on your journey towards better rest.

How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?

There are two types of people in this world: those who sleep with one pillow and those who sleep with a thousand of them.

Here at Casper, we’re not in the market of shaming your pillow count (or lack thereof). Every person has a bedtime routine that works for them, and that fact is worthy of a celebratory snooze.

That said, we are interested in the science of sleep. And that leads us to the question of how many pillows should you sleep with?

So, what does science have to say about the optimal number of pillows?

According to sleep experts, you should sleep with only one pillow under your head, however, preference and sleeping position often take the lead when it comes to considerations for the ideal number of pillows.

Read on to learn why we recommend sleeping with a high-quality single pillow.

The Thing About Sleep

The funny thing about sleeping is that everyone does it differently. What might be the perfect amount of pillows for one person could totally throw off someone else’s slumber. With that in mind, there are some factors to consider when choosing how many pillows to sleep with.

In an ideal world, everyone would have a single pillow that fits all their needs. The right pillow should provide:

Neck support – A neutral spine is the name of the game when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. A sleeping pillow with the right amount of support will keep your spine in a neutral position, thus preventing a stiff neck and tight shoulders in the morning.

Ample head space – A pillow that’s too small can put you in an awkward position—literally. If you tend to move around in your sleep, you’ll want a pillow with a good amount of surface area. Otherwise, you may find yourself waking up with your head flat on the mattress.

Malleability – Depending on your sleeping position, the right pillow should conform to your body’s natural shape. Stomach sleepers will need a softer pillow that allows their head to sink in, while back and side sleepers may fluff, bend, or squeeze their pillow during the night. A good pillow should have soft, malleable material that doesn’t lose its structural integrity over time.¹

Still, the question remains—why don’t all pillows meet these basic needs? And is the solution more or fewer pillows?

Everyone is Different

Everyone’s body is built differently. For side and back sleepers and people with wide shoulders, one sleeping pillow may not comfortably fill the gap between their head and the mattress. This lack of support in bed can lead to neck pain, poor quality sleep, and even headaches.²

For those who prefer stomach sleeping, a pillow with too much support may be the problem. A thick or firm pillow can tilt the neck too high, irritate the face, and disrupt breathing.

Hearing this, you might think that you should change the number of pillows you sleep with to match your body’s natural sleeping position—but that’s not exactly the case.

How Many Pillows Should I Sleep With?

While sleeping with two or more pillows each night may work for some people, pillow stacking can lead to its own set of problems that are worth considering, such as:

The squished stack – Multiple thin pillows and one thick pillow provide two entirely different sleep experiences. While a single pillow with moderate thickness will usually hold its shape, two thinner pillows can create something called the squished stack. The squished stack occurs when two or more flimsy pillows are being squeezed together by the weight of your head. Repeated stacking can result in loss of structure and essentially leave you with two flat, misshapen pillows. Due to the loss of structure caused by pillow stacking, the recommended time frame for how often you should replace pillows will be shorter than usual.

The tower – Another problem with multiple pillows is that they may be stacked too high—also known as the tower. When you sleep with your head at an incline, your spine loses its normal level of cervical curvature (which is just a fancy name for your neck’s natural curve). This can result in stiffness and even make falling asleep more challenging.

The bottom line: Sleeping with multiple pillows may seem like a supportive choice, but it could be disrupting your spine’s natural alignment. For this reason, sleeping with one thicker pillow is generally the preferred option.

Finding The Right Pillow with Casper

So, how many pillows should you sleep with? If it’s a Casper pillow, one will do.

If you’re looking to ditch the multi-pillow life, Casper can help. We provide sleepers three unique types of pillows to fit their nighttime needs:

The Original Casper Pillow – The Original Casper Pillow is filled to perfection with a supportive down alternative. Our unique pillow-in-pillow design combines the fluffiness of a single pillow with the support of two. Not to mention, the 100 percent cotton pillowcase remains cool and breathable on even the hottest nights.

The Foam Pillow – Side and back sleepers who need neck support should look no further than the Casper Foam Pillow. Our three-layer design reinforces spinal alignment without sacrificing comfort.

The Down Pillow – Filled with 100 percent ethically-sourced down feathers, the Casper Down Pillow is like sleeping on a cloud. Sleepers who value softness will appreciate the comfortable support this pillow provides. The 5-chamber design makes this an ideal pillow choice for back, side, and stomach sleepers alike.

There you have it — an answer to the age-old pillow debate. One pillow is a win, two can be a gamble, but a Casper pillow is always a safe bet.

Related Content:

What is a Down Pillow?

Sources:

The Sleep Doctor. How to Pick the Perfect Pillow. https://thesleepdoctor.com/2017/10/09/how-to-pick-the-perfect-pillow/
Physioworks. What’s the Classic Signs of an Unsupportive Pillow? https://physioworks.com.au/faq/whats-the-classic-signs-of-an-unsupportive-pillow/

Who shouldn't sleep on two pillows at once

Do you have a habit of putting not one, but several pillows under your head at once? Perhaps it's time to reconsider your sleep rituals - this is advised not only by esotericism, but also by official medicine.

Ksenia Ilchenko

Pexels

There is a popular belief that a person cannot sleep on two pillows at the same time. Consequences may depend on gender and marital status.

Content of article

Do not attract Satan to bed: signs for women

There is a belief that sleeping on two pillows for a woman does not bode well - especially for single ones. It is believed that such a habit prevents a happy marriage. “He lures Satan into bed,” they used to say in the old days. And if he took the bed, it means that there is no place for a man there.

In addition, it was believed that if a woman sleeps on two pillows, whether married or not, someone in the house can get sick, including herself. If we are talking about problems with the spine, there is definitely logic in this. With a curvature of the axis of the spine, blood circulation becomes difficult and problems with the musculoskeletal system accumulate. nine0003

What awaits a man who sleeps on two pillows

Free men also need to be careful. Popular signs say that a bad habit can not only ruin his health, but affect his reputation, bring shame on him, from which it will be difficult to “wash off” later. It also promises financial losses or failures in money matters. What this may be connected with, beliefs do not specify. But our ancestors were afraid to anger fate and never put two pillows in the bed of single men at once. nine0003

Why children should not put a second pillow in their crib

Esotericism also associates this sign with otherworldly phenomena. No wonder our ancestors were careful not to surround small children with pillows, because according to ancient beliefs, the second pillow could beckon the soul to leave the body - in other words, there was a risk of the child dying in a dream. A terrible sign, but partly explained by the poverty of scientific knowledge. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was never heard of in those days, meanwhile, this inexplicable phenomenon has always existed. By the way, quite recently there was a breakthrough in medicine: scientists explained what SIDS is associated with, and which children have a high risk of falling asleep and not waking up. nine0003

Another rationale may be related to pillow fillings that existed before the advent of modern synthetic materials. These were mainly feathers and down - a favorable environment for bed mites and other organisms. No one canceled an acute allergic reaction, so the fewer such pillows in the crib, the better. And one is too many when it comes to babies and young children.

Do you sleep with one or two pillows?

Why is it undesirable for one person to sleep on two pillows

10/15/2021, 1:54 |

Molodtsova Anna nine0043

Molodtsova Anna Health5 840 nine0003

Photo: www. globallookpress.com / ZAM-Photography

Not all people follow the logic: one person - one pillow. Some, even when alone in bed, prefer to provide themselves with additional comfort and fall asleep on two pillows at the same time. However, there are many folk signs that say that this should not be done. To whom exactly and why, 5-tv.ru explains. nine0003

To a lonely person

It is believed that a lonely person who has two pillows in his bed at once will never find a soul mate. The explanation is this: if you fall asleep and see one pillow, then you are clearly aware of your loneliness, and if there are two, you subconsciously decide that you already have someone. And that means there is no point in doing searches.

For a family person

In this case, we are talking about a situation where the husband or wife went on a business trip. According to signs, if a person bound by marriage has another pillow in bed, then there is a great risk of cheating on his soulmate. In the end, the partner will have less desire to lead a lover or mistress into the bedroom if there is no corny extra pillow there. nine0003

To a baby

Some still believe that a baby who falls asleep on two pillows at once will grow up to be an insecure person, because he will rush "between two fires" all his life. At the same time, pediatricians, in principle, do not advise putting babies on pillows so as not to injure them once again. The best option is to put a four-folded diaper under his head.

For an elderly person

It is believed that a lonely person in old age will be disappointed in his life if every day he sees an extra pillow on his bed. After all, it is she who will again and again remind him of hopeless loneliness. nine0003

Really?

According to a neurologist, doctor of medical sciences Pavel Sokolov, it is quite difficult to get enough sleep on two pillows.

“Sooner or later you will fail. And we fail not at once, but slowly. The slow descent causes tension in the neck muscles that lasts as long as we sleep. Therefore, in the morning we will get up tired, with pain in the neck and with an emerging migraine, ”, the specialist said.

He also noted that restless lonely people mostly sleep on two pillows. When a person is not sleeping alone, he can immediately “get an elbow in the side” from a partner when throwing on the bed and then calmly fall asleep on his pillow. nine0003

Previously, 5-tv.ru told what products can provoke the development of diseases.

Diseases The medicine Signs